out with my boots on

it's been a while since i've been to nashville.
there's something about that place that makes me feel alive {& young}.
maybe it's the neon lights.
maybe it's the plethora of cowboy boots tapping to live music.
maybe it's singing at the top of my lungs in a honky tonk with my girlfriends.
whatever it is, i have determined that it's good for the soul.

i'm going to miss out on sharing this fall weekend with the husband & the pup
but the bright lights on broadway are calling my name.
be back sunday. xoxo

image above by aron wright via design sponge.

rural sights & rural sounds

this past weekend we ventured out of the city limits to a farm.
a farm with chickens, goats, cows, pigs, llamas, turkeys, horses
& lots of other little creatures.

we were there for a company get together, of sorts,
& were allowed to roam & explore the property.
we held the chicks, watched kids chase the goats & gobbled at the turkeys.
we mingled with co-workers, enjoyed the potluck food & drank a few beers.
we laughed while watching the egg toss competition & the sack races.
& there were a few moments, even in the midst of the 300+ people nearby,
that i was able to take in every morsel of the farm.
the breeze through the trees. the dirt paths. the old red barns.
the roaming farm dog. the old farm equipment. the shade of the trees.
the chirping crickets. the hard work of generations of a family.


even living in the suburbs, moments like those are hard to come by.
moments of reflection. of deep breaths. of appreciation of the simple life.
did i mention that it was 70 degrees and partly cloudy?
there are worse ways to spend a Sunday.

photo by: max wanger: oh my leftovers

puppy class

yesterday sampson started an 8 week puppy obedience class.
& i have to brag, for a second.
because sampson is clearly the smartest puppy in the class.
{the smartest out of a total of 3 dogs, but that's beside the point}

the instructor noticed right away that he could already:
walk properly on a leash, sit & recognize his name.
to say that i was basking in the compliment would be an understatement.
proud momma.
there's really no point to this blog post.
other than to brag about my puppy. i just can't help it.
sure, he has his moments. but, to be honest, he's pretty much the perfect pup.
for example, as i type this {while finishing my glass of wine @ 11pm}
he's snuggled atop a pile of his daddy's clothes on the bedroom floor.
he hasn't moved an inch or made a peep in the last hour and a half.
neither has his daddy, who is snuggled up next to him.

they are both so precious there on the bedroom floor.
well behaved and snuggly, just the way i like them.

picture above is of sampson on the bed in our guest room at some point in august.
he has since doubled in size.
so there's that.

it's safe to say

let's be honest.
labor day has come and gone. it's safe to say that summer is over.
it's getting darker earlier & there's a cooler breeze in the air.
& as giddy as i am that fall is quickly approaching, i already miss summer.
80+ degree days. frozen drinks. freshly cut grass. days at the lake.
fireworks. ice cream. bright colors. tanned skin. colorful totes.
my birthday. boating. flip flops & sperrys. grilling out. vacations.
hours upon hours of daylight. outdoor concerts. long weekends.

this past summer was capped off by a fabulous labor day weekend.
boating to & watching the sailboat races with my mom.
teaching our puppy, sampson, to swim.
finishing a great book.
time with family.
hours spent on the boat.
cheers to a great summer & here's too a fantastic fall!

photo via photo by matthew banks via snippetandink

each day

it's hard to believe that labor day, the end of summer, is already here.
i am off to enjoy a fantastic weekend at the lake my mom lives on.
sipping on as many frozen fruity drinks as i can handle.
dipping my toes in the still warm water.
wearing my favorite white pants one last time.
enjoying sunsets watched from the pier.
taking our pup out on the speedboat & teaching him to swim.
enjoying the 2nd annual corn-off {who can eat the most ears of corn} w/ family.
and gleefully untying the ribbons of these last few days of summer.

photo of lake wawasee via a family friend.